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CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (AP) -— Space X It expanded the constellation of low-Earth orbit satellites Saturday with the launch of 53 Starlink satellites from Florida.
A Falcon 9 rocket took off from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 7:19 am EST and docked the satellites about 16 minutes after launch.
The rocket’s reusable first stage, used for multiple launches, including the first crewed test flight. Space XThe Crew Dragon spacecraft successfully returned and landed on the “Just Read the Instructions” drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean.
Starlink is a satellite-based global internet system. Space X has been building for years to provide internet access to underserved parts of the world.
Earlier this week, Space X It sent four astronauts to the International Space Station, including the 600th person to reach space in 60 years.
The flight from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center took 21 hours to reach the glowing outpost.
The astronauts were so moved when they saw the space station for the first time from 20 miles (32 kilometers) away that they called it “a pretty spectacular sight.”
Three astronauts greeted the crew instead of the preferred seven.
For that reason Space X brought four back on Monday after the release of their replacements continued to be delayed.
The new crew will spend the next six months on the space station, hosting two groups of tourists during this time.
Russia will launch the first group in December and Space X The second is in February.
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